This application claims the benefit of priority based on German Application No. 19930529.3, filed Jul. 1, 1999, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
This invention is directed to a device and a procedure for automatically fixing the bend in a motor vehicle brake lining wear indicator.
Conventionally, the bend of a lining wear indicator for a motor vehicle brake is produced by hand, i.e., manually. Referring to FIG. 1, wire 1xe2x80x2 is bent by hand in a conventional bending device (not shown). Then, the bent wire 1xe2x80x2 is inserted into an injection mold, aligned, and extrusion-coated with plastic to produce a plastic extrusion-coated component 2xe2x80x2.
This conventional device and this manual procedure have a number of disadvantages. For example, when wire 1xe2x80x2 is bent by hand in a conventional bending device, the wire 1xe2x80x2 may be damaged. Also, manual bending is time-consuming, and the insertion and alignment of the bent wire 1xe2x80x2 into the injection mold are complicated.
A conventional device that automatically fixes a lining wear indicator bend is disclosed in German Patent No. 40 36 400 A1. In this conventional device, a wire is looped around a spacer and fixed there to produce a pre-mounted unit. This pre-mounted unit is then extrusion coated with plastic.
It is desirable to create a device and a procedure for automatically fixing a lining wear indicator bend in which a lining wear indicator wire can be reliably positioned without auxiliary devices.
The invention is achieved by providing a bent lining wear indicator for vehicle brakes. The lining wear indicator comprises a spacer providing a bending form; a wire contiguously engaging the spacer; an insert generally surrounding the wire contiguously engaging the spacer; and a coating encapsulating at least a portion of the insert generally surrounding the wire contiguously engaging the spacer.
The invention is also achieved by providing a braking arrangement for a rotating body. The braking arrangement comprises a lining adapted to contiguously engage the rotating body during braking, the lining having an initial dimension that is reduced to a minimum dimension due to the braking; and a bent lining wear indicator signaling that the lining has been reduced to the minimum dimension. The lining wear indicator includes a spacer providing a bending form; a wire contiguously engaging the spacer; an insert generally surrounding the wire contiguously engaging the spacer; and a coating encapsulating at least a portion of the insert generally surrounding the wire contiguously engaging the spacer.
The invention is additionally achieved by providing a method of automatically manufacturing a bent lining wear indicator for vehicle brakes. The method comprises providing a spacer having a longitudinal axis and at least one recess extending parallel to the axis; producing a first sub-assembly by laying a wire in the at least one recess along the spacer; producing a second sub-assembly by positioning the sub-assembly inside a hollow cylindrical insert; and producing a third sub-assembly by bending the second sub-assembly.
Advantages of the claimed invention include achieving a greater degree of automation and reliably preventing damage to the wire.